Need Help with Your Product Management?

A new book has been published that helps companies and product managers understand the responsibilities and activities typically associated with the role.  It's called the ProdBOK for short, or The Guide to the Product Management and Marketing Body of Knowledge.  The ProdBOK was a multiyear activity spanning some 60 contributors. As one of those individuals, I'll provide a view of some of the goals and challenges of the book.

A Brief Synopsis

Section 1 is broad primer of the background, history, roles and marketing concepts relevant to the job. For those new to the role, or those who have roles adjacent to product management, there may be some fundamentals here worth understanding. For experienced practitioners, this may be worth leafing through as refresher.

Section 2 is really the meat of the book, and walks through a seven-phase lifecycle framework from inception to retirement for a product. It attempts to capture major activities that MAY be part of the needed process for creating new products and services or advancing existing ones. It is not intended to define the only way it can be done. It also tries to identify who the major collaborators may be with product management and also the trade-offs that may exist in any specific organization. For those with more experience, there may be some guidance in getting past some issues that may be hampering you.

Section 3 is complementary to Section 2 to provide some specific examples of tools and checklists for each of the lifecycle phases.

Goals and Challenges in its Creation

The major goal of the book was an attempt to bring together a cohesive view of product management and to provide a useful reference for all of the activities required in delivering products to the marketplace. In that regard, it's probably more of a Product Management 101/201 reference book than an attempt to address more advanced topics like strategy, politics, conflict and other issues that can sidetrack the role.

The challenges associated with creating this book were many. First, the breadth and depth of the book required the involvement of many individuals, and weaving together many inputs in a relatively cohesive manner was no small task. My complements to the editors for their tenacity and skill in pulling it off.

Second, the role of product management across industries, companies and products varies dramatically, and trying to capture a generalized view without getting too prescriptive was a constant focus. This often required stepping back and trying a different track to cover a broader view.

Third, product management success lies more in the close association and working relationships with other functions and individuals in the company than in the rote activities and product management framework. Product management cannot succeed as an island. This book attempts to identify those needed relationships in addition to processes that have proven to be successful when applied in a collaborative environment. If you find yourself in a situation that's not effective or satisfying, this book may give some hints as to how to find a winning formula.

Lastly, your specific experience or current role definition may vary significantly from what is defined in this book. The intent is for you to identify what is working and stick to it, and there may be ideas to make it work even better. For those activities that may have challenges, or are new for the role in your company, this book may provide a foundation for getting over the hump in establishing new ways of doing business. Apply them in a way that works for you and with the support of others in your organization.

This is just the initial release of the ProdBOK, and has many opportunities for improvement going forward. Hopefully, it provides a useful first step in helping product management be successful.

The book is available here on Amazon: